Smartphone maker Nothing has admitted that the in-store demo units of its newly released Phone 3 displayed five professionally shot stock photographs while claiming the images were captured with the handset. Technology outlets including The Verge and 9to5Google traced the pictures to the Stills stock marketplace and, through EXIF data, confirmed they were taken in 2023 with professional cameras—well before the Phone 3 existed. Co-founder Akis Evangelidis said on X that the photos were intended only as placeholders and were mistakenly left on the live demo units, describing the lapse as “an unfortunate oversight” without “ill intent.” He said Nothing is updating retail devices with genuine Phone 3 samples. The incident is the company’s second camera-marketing controversy this year, after it was forced in February to correct a video comparison with Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro Max, prompting renewed scrutiny of its promotional practices.